Harry Potter and the Rising of the Dragon
by Insomniac Wolfie
Summary: I wish I had a cooler title, but I don't. Sorry. "New-Era". There is a war backlash when the kids are in school. Romance, war, and magic... because seriously, who wants it to end, right?
1. The Calm Before The Storm

**A/N: I was originally going to take some liberty with the Post-Deathly-Hallows genealogy, bu****t then I decided to not really do it, but I might still do it on accident, so to make a long story short, most of this will be in accordance with JK Rowling's universe but if I get a detail wrong, don't tell me. I probably don't care. I've done my research (I even just re-read Deathly Hollows yesterday, great book!) so it's close enough to make the story work :P  


* * *

**

The girl started when he moved from the shadows. There was moonlight streaming in from the window, and though it illuminated a white strip across the empty classroom floor, the edges of the room remained blanketed in complete darkness. She had no way of knowing how long he had been waiting there, and she knew that there was no way anyone was going to find them here in the middle of the night. As he stepped forward slowly into the beam of light, it reflected off of his platinum blond hair, currently long enough to be pulled back into a ponytail tied at the base of his neck. His face was rather pointed, but handsome, and his deep blue eyes sparkled in the light. His face was still as stone, no hint of emotion nor life showing but for his eyes.

"Funny how the moon makes everything white. Even your Weasley hair looks blond."

"My grandmother had hair this color, too," the girl said quietly.

"Lily Potter. Your namesake."

Lily snorted. "Cut the crap, Malfoy, you antagonistic ass."

"Brave stuff, coming from a fifth year." He was standing right in front of her now. "And your brother Alby isn't even here to save you."

"And you're way too cocky for someone who's not got the balls to come out and tell his family-"

It was then that Scorpius Malfoy cut off Lily Potter by pulling her to him and kissing her square on the mouth. She responded by throwing her arms around his neck, where they remained for some number of minutes before finally she pulled away, still glaring at him slightly.

"Dear Dad," Malfoy started, "Son of the greatest pureblood-arrogant family to have risen to power when Voldemort ran his reign of terror-"

Lily was rolling her eyes.

"-except for maybe that bitch Bellatrix The Strange, sworn lifetime nemesis and rival of Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived and Defeated Aforementioned Villain Lord Voldemort -"

"Scorpius," Lily sighed.

"I just so happen to have a clandestine Romeo-and-Juliet love affair with the daughter of said mudblood-by-grandparents nemesis-rival and the blood traitor Weasley clan, who have assisted in our family's downfall and shaming. Don't hate me. Sincerely, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy."

"Excuse me?" Lily's eyes blazed. Scorpius gazed at her sadly.

"You know I'm not like them."

"So why not disown them, you're of age?"

"Lily, they're my family. I can't do that."

"Even if they're-"

"Wrong, yes."

"Funny, I was going to say evil."

"My parents are not evil."

"Right."

"What's gotten into you, lately?"

"What's gotten into me?" Lilly stepped back from Scorpius. "How about the fact that you're so ashamed of me that you won't even tell anyone we're dating?"

"We've been over this, Lily, it's not shame."

"You just can't mar your good name by telling anyone you're dating a traitorous mudblood."

The moment was marked by silence as they stared each other down. They both knew they were walking dangerous territory, and though they both wanted to have their say, neither wanted to make problems worse. It was Scorpius who cracked first.

"Do you know what we're doing?"

"No, do enlighten me."

"We're living our parent's lives." Lily looked at him suspiciously.

"Do go on."

"All we ever talk about when we have this argument is the fact that your father is The Boy Who Lived, the Chosen One, and my family is a bunch of Bloodist arsewipes who were his enemies and the allies of the Dark Lord he fought."

"So?"

"So if you were just some girl I met at school, and I was just some boy you met at school, and our families didn't hate each other..."

"But they do, Scorpius." Lily said softly. "They do."

"And we can't change that."

"I can't change the fact that I come from a mudblood and a blood traitor."

"And I can't change the fact that it matters to my parents, just like I can't change the fact that they are my parents."

"And I can't change the fact that my parents hate your parents."

"But _I_ don't care, Lily. My parents are my parents and that's that, but I am not like them. I have nothing against your family, I have nothing against your blood, I have nothing against _you_." He put his arms around her, resting his cheek on the top of her head as she wrapped her arms around his waist. He sighed.

"And as long as that's true, my parents shouldn't have anything against _you_."

"So..." Draco trailed off.

"So..." Lily looked up at him. "So?"

"I'd rather not be there when your family finds out."

"Likewise. When?"

"Erm... perhaps, given the situation, letters would be best..."

"Well my family is coming for a visit soon," Lily said, biting her bottom lip. "They'll be staying in Hogsmeade. We could go - Oh, all right, _I_ could go - you know, and... well, I'm already going to be seeing them anyway, so it wouldn't hurt..."

"Why are they coming?"

"I don't know," Lily said. "I think they want to be closer to the school, because, you know... the battle..."

"It was here."

"Right. And it was home for Dad when he was growing up, and what with everything that's going on in the east..." Malfoy stepped back, placing his hands on Lily's shoulders and looking down into her eyes, his face still and serious.

"The war?"

Lily nodded.

"They don't think it's going to make it all the way over here, do they?"

"Well, you know, people are talking and-"

"Ugh, Lily, seriously. People talk about a lot of things that aren't necessarily true."

"I know, but Luxembourg, Scorpius, they're saying they've got spies as far as _Luxembourg_."

"That's ridiculous, Lily, and you know it."

"I know. I'm just... worried."

"About what?"

Lily sighed, looking out the window into the sky. When she spoke, she spoke softly.

"When the Muggles fought their war in the beginning of the last century, there was bitterness. There was anger. Even when the war was over, Europe was... changed. It was different. And then there was a backlash that started another war. It's like a tsunami... the wave never hits just once."

"This isn't a tsunami," he said gently. "This is a scuffle from the east. It will not come here." He placed his hand under her chin and turned her back to face him. He looked into her eyes, trying to reassure her. "It won't."

"Oh, Scorpius, I know I'm making a fool of myself, but I just can't... I can't shake this feeling that I have."

"Oh, do you finally have the sense to be disgusted by me?"

"No, silly. But... I can't help but feel like this isn't really peace. It feels like the calm before the storm."


	2. You Will Be Strong

Lily Potter took a deep breath and exhaled as she stood in front of the small mirror propped up on the desk in her dormitory.

* * *

_The wind was howling as she stepped into the Great Hall. She saw the tile on the floor depicting her father circling the mighty Lord Voldemort as two animals circle each other, waiting for the other to attack. Albus said that it performed the scene on Holidays, but for now the images simply glared at each other. The ceiling, however, was not so mobile, and as she stood waiting, lightening illuminated the large black clouds floating silently across the sky like demonic shadows._

_She watched them to try and avoid the panic that rose within her when the sorting started. Her siblings had warned her, her parents had explained to her, and all sorts of stories were shared between their rather large extended family. But nothing had prepared Lily for what happened when her name was called._

_"POTTER, LILY!"_

_Generally students whispered or shared silent looks with their friends as the sorting occurred, occasionally cheering whenever they got a new addition to their house or whistling to a family member or younger friend. But as Lily stepped forward to the stool where Headmistress McGonagall, still going strong at ninety-three years old, was waiting with the sorting hat, everything seemed to go still. Lily was sure that even the clouds in the sky were holding their breath when she sat down and the hat plopped down onto her head._

_"Please, please... but... I can't be in Griffindor. I'm not brave enough."_

**Says who?**

_Despite having been warned, Lily jumped in her seat._

_"I, I... I'm not like my parents. I'm scared. I'm scared right now."_

**Another Potter, eh?**

_"Yes."_

**Your father struggled with his sorting. Everyone does, but I daresay that your father had more to be afraid of than others, considering his destiny.**

_"What do you mean?"_

**Where do you think you belong, little Lily?**

_"I... I don't know. Isn't it your job to tell me?"_

**Ah, no. It is my job to sort, but not to decide. Decisions are up to you. Alas, I am but a hat, and cannot decide. I can only look inside your head, and say what I see.**

_"So, if I were to be a very smart person, but asked you not to put me in Ravenclaw..."_

**Ravenclaws are smart, Slytherins are cunning, Griffindors are brave, and Hufflepuffs are loyal; these are the traits by which the houses are known. But, does a member of one house not possess all of those traits?**

_"So what you're really saying is, people cannot be judged by which house they are in?"_

**I am saying that there is more to every person than the house which they are in.**

_"I told James that the Malfoy boy wasn't bad. See? Just because his parents, and then he was put in Slytherin, but I mean honestly, I'd be mean if everyone acted like I was, too."_

**You are wise. You would do well in Ravenclaw. But even more importantly, Lily, you will be strong...**

* * *

Lily inhaled deeply, closing her eyes and whispering to herself.

"Griffindor, where dwell the brave at heart..."

She exhaled, opening her eyes. Her reflection in the mirror was still the same. Her skin was still pale, her eyes were still bright with fear, the green matching perfectly to the emerald pendant hanging from the delicate silver chain around her neck, where it had been since Scorpius gave it to her months ago. She had lied and said it was a belated birthday gift from a distant cousin. There were so many Weasleys that no one had bothered to ask who.

"I don't feel any braver."

"Maybe you should try some liquid luck." Lily jumped as Abigail walked into the room. "We're heading out, you coming?"

"Uh, yeah. Let me grab my scarf."

The two girls walked down to the gates where Albus, Rose, and Hugo were standing together talking to the Scamander twins. Though Lysander was relatively normal, Lorcan was just like his mother, and, at present, was attempting to inform his companions of the true, altruistic nature of Blast-Ended Skrewts, although no one but Albus had the patience to listen.

Lysander waved as the two girls walked up to the group and they headed down the lane towards Hogsmeade together. They had three different conversations going at once, all of them laughing and talking over each other. Though it was only September, the weather was chilly, and they wore their cloaks pulled tightly around them.

Eventually Lysander fell back and Lily slowed down to match his pace. They had this way of privately communicating the need to speak alone, and they managed to do so without being noticed by their friends.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong."

"Lily." Lysander had the impeccable ability to communicate almost psychically with people, and Lily was reminded of how Luna recognized Harry through his disguise at her uncle's wedding.

"I'll tell you later."

"Lily, I'm worried about you."

"I know, I know..."

"You haven't been the same since you've been sneaking out at night." Lily gasped.

"How did you-"

"You've got circles under your eyes and you've been exhausted lately. Normally I would blame it on not sleeping well, but you seem happy every night you don't get any sleep, so..."

They left the school grounds and their path took them to a small bridge covering a large creek. It just so happened that there, sitting on the edge of the bridge between the behemoth sons of Goyle and Parkinson, was Scorpius Malfoy, who had, by necessity, kept up the facade of antagonism between his house and the Griffindor crowd, but had also managed to do so without pointing out the fact of blood purity. Hugo and Rose Weasley had taken the characteristics of their parents almost exactly, so it was naturally Hugo who chose to antagonize him first.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?"

Scorpius looked down at his shoes, sighed deeply, and then slid off the bridge, crossing his arms over his chest. Parkinson and Goyle climbed down, albeit far less gracefully, and stood on either side of him.

"I believe I'm enjoying the fresh autumn air, Weasley. And yourself?"

"What's the matter Malfoy, too scared to be arrogant and condescending today? Makes a difference when you're outnumbered, eh?"

"I should point out, Weasley, that my companions and I were sitting peacefully when you approached us."

"I'll teach you to get snooty with me, you little-" Hugo stuffed his hand into his cloak to grab his wand when Lily stepped forward.

"Hugo!" She said harshly. "Don't." She looked angrily from him to Scorpius and her face betrayed just a hint of concern as she spoke. "He's not worth it."

Scorpius had uncrossed his arms and drawn himself up to his full height when he saw Lily, and now his eyes looked her up slowly from head to toe and back.

"You look like you're walking to your death," he said cryptically. Lily inhaled slightly.

"I'll - I'll be sure to let you know."

"In which case, I best be going." He nodded slightly and turned, walking back up the back toward the school, Goyle and Parkinson following behind him. He had barely made it twenty feet away when Hugo turned on Lily.

"What the HELL was that?" He roared, glaring daggers as his face turned red. But Lily was not looking at him. She was looking over his shoulder, to where Lysander was standing, staring at her with a look on his face that said he, for one, knew _exactly_ what the hell that was about.


	3. The Good Kind

**A/N: Thanks to JKRowling for letting me play with her friends for a while. I hope my shyte plot doesn't offend anyone... Then again, I'm writing this for myself and Myra at this point, so anyone who doesn't like it can go find another story better suited to their tastes or get their bum off the internet and go do something productive, like discovering the seven magical powers of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack [alas, on this point, I shall take liberty with and bastardize Ms. Rowling's post-book notes on what happens next... but my dears, this is why it is fan fiction].**

* * *

Rose and Albus and Abagail dragged Hugo ahead, while Lysander and Lorcan escorted Lily to the Inn on the main road of Hogsmeade where her parents were staying. Lorcan remained silent and walked a few feet ahead of Lily and Lysander.

"When?" Lysander asked after minutes of silence.

"My-" Lily's voice caught in her throat. "My third year."

She stopped spinning around to block Lysander's path as she stared at him.

"He's not a bad guy, Xander. He's not like his family."

Lysander smiled.

"He's the one who gave you that necklace then?"

"Er..." Her hand moved subconsciously to where the pendant lay under her scarf.

"I thought so. I mean, I thought it was a boy, you know. But I didn't ever realize."

"Has anyone else?"

"No, of course not. I can see why you haven't told anyone, though."

"It's not that we're embarrassed." Lilly moved back to his side and they continued to walk to the inn.

"I mean we were, at first, because I was supposed to hate him and he was supposed to hate me, and whatnot. But... I can't explain it, Xander, I had to give him a chance, and then when I did, I just... we became really close friends and then one day it was more than that and I don't know how it happened but it did and now it's done and I -"

"Lily, breathe."

"Okay. Right. Sorry. I just... I care a lot about him and I know this won't be received well."

"You're going to tell your parents, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Well, that's brave."

"I'd like to think so."

"Then do. Here we are. I think you'll need your privacy..." Lysander nodded and went to go rejoin his brother who had wondered into Weasley's Wizard Wheezes where the others were meeting Ron and Hermione, leaving Lily to face her parents alone. She went into the inn and sat down, looking around. It wasn't crowded, but it wasn't empty, either. There was the usual crowd of people stopping by here and there, and as Ginny came downstairs found her daughter immediately once she reached the bottom. Lily was staring out the window when Ginny walked up to her table and pulled out the chair across from her, spinning it around and straddling it backwards. She folded her arms on the table and rested her chin on them. As she did this, Lily redirected her attention.

"You look out of it, dear."

"Yeah. I have been."

"Is everything okay?" Ginny turned her head slightly to the side, inquisitively. Lily took a deep breath and sighed, but she did not reply.

"What happened?" Ginny sat up slightly, leaning forward and putting her weight on her elbows.

"Mommy?" Lily was sure that the look on her face was terrifying her mother.

"Do you need me to go get your father, dear? He's down at George's place, I can go get him if-"

"No. No, I just... I need to tell you something."

"Right..." Ginny leaned back slightly, placing her hands on the back of the chair in front of her. "Just us girls, though?"

"Yeah. Just us girls."

"Okay. What is it? Sweety I'm your mother, you can tell me anything."

"I'm seeing someone."

"And?"

"What do you mean?" Lily looked at her mother, confused.

"Well, you're seeing someone, yeah, okay, you're fifteen, not a big deal, but I mean... why the stress? Although I can see why you don't want your father to know."

"Well, I've been... been seeing him for a... a while now, actually."

Ginny raised an eyebrow.

"How long?"

Lily inhaled deeply and began her practiced rant.

"We started seeing each other when I was in third year and he was in fifth year but he as really nice about it and it was more like a close friendship than anything except we had already been friends for a while and then things changed one day and I don't know how to describe it but we've known each other for years and been together officially for two years except it hasn't been official because we haven't told anyone and his family isn't so nice but he's not like them at _all_, mum, not at all and he's really nice and charming and sweet and funny and he makes me laugh and we want the same things out of life and I'm pretty sure I love him but I don't know what to do because it's all been a secret and I-" And Lily burst into tears, drawing odd looks from those who occupied the tables nearest them.

"Lily, honey, calm down." Lily reduced her sobs to sniffles.

"So let me get this straight. You met a guy."

"Yes."

"Some time ago."

"Yes."

"And you were friends."

"Yes."

"And then you became more than friends."

"Yes."

"And now you're in love with him."

"Yes."

"Does he love you?" Lily nodded, and Ginny watched her hand go subconsciously to the necklace she wore.

"And he's a nice, funny, charming guy."

"Yes."

"The good kind of charming, not the Lockheart kind?" Lily smiled.

"Yeah, mom. He's the good kind."

"So you've known this really great guy for a while and now you're dating."

"Er, yeah. Basically."

"Well, that's not a problem," Ginny said. "But the problem is that his family is unpleasant."

Lily nodded.

"And so you've kept the relationship a secret."

"Yes."

"Well, Lily," Ginny said softly, reaching her hand out across the table and holding her daughter's hand, "People are not their parents. Sometimes they have similar qualities, sure, but people are different, they have their own characteristics. They have their own lives."

Lily nodded and turned to gaze at the people walking around outside. It proved to be a mistake, which she knew as soon as she saw the platinum blond ponytail emerge from the store across the street, flanked by two large goons. She knew her mother had picked up on the infinitesimal changes in her body the moment it recognized him and Ginny slowly pulled her hand away from Lily's as she, too, looked out the window.

"Lily... Why exactly haven't you told me his name yet?"


	4. Headed This Way

**A/N: _His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad, his hair is as dark as a black board; I wish he were mine, he's really divine, the hero who conquered the dark lord! _**

**Aaaaand I should like to dedicate this lovely peace of musical valentine gram to the five people who have story alerts! The Marauderet, acompletestranger, KatiePBell and I can't put the periods because the site thinks it's a link, how odd, smartypants023, and runningYODA. You are currently the five coolest people in the world except for me. I hope I don't disappoint.  
**

* * *

"Mom, it's _not_ what you think."

"That is the son of Draco _Malfoy_, Lily," Ginny hissed as she slammed her hands down on the table, eliciting more looks from other tables. "You do know that don't you?"

"Mom!" Lily said desperately. "He's not like his father, he's not!"

"He is a MALFOY!" Ginny screeched far too loudly, causing everyone within the inn and a few people outside to stare.

"What happened to 'people are not their parents' and 'they have their own lives'?"

"They _don't_ when they're a _Malfoy_."

"Mum," Lily said, anger finally boiling over her fear. "You are being unreasonable."

"Me? _I'm_ unreasonable? You're the one who's dating a-" Ginny stopped and gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth in shock.

"What?" Lily asked, alarmed.

"You- you... you haven't _slept with him _have you?" Lily blinked once, staring at her mother. Then, she burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. Ginny started laughing, getting up and fixing her chair so that she could sit in it the proper way. She sat back down just as Lily was able to breathe through the tears streaming down her face.

"Oh God, no, no, we haven't... ew. No. Just... no."

"Well, good." Ginny reached out and took her daughter's hands in hers. "Listen, I... I don't like it."

"I know." Lily nodded.

"I don't like it at all, and I don't trust him."

"You don't even know him, mum."

"No, and that's - you're right. You're right, I don't know him, and I don't know what he's capable of, and that can be good or bad, Lily. Please, _please_, please just understand. That can be good or bad."

Lily sighed.

"He's a good guy, mum. He really is."

"Right, well, that remains to be seen. In the meantime..."

"Yeah?"

"Let's just keep this between us girls, okay?"

Lily nodded.

"Right. So... don't... tell... dad..."

"Er, no," Ginny said. "Don't tell your father."

"Speaking of," Lily said, "Why are you guys here?"

"Well, we came to see you, of course," Ginny said with a look that said 'not here'. She nodded to explain that she understood, and then stood up, wrapping her scarf around her neck as she spoke.

"So, we ought to go see him then, hm?"

"Yes, I suppose we should." Ginny stood up and together they went down to the joke shop to see the rest of their family.

* * *

George had done well at taking over Zonko's, and over the years had prospered, largely due to the fact that, even through marriage and fatherhood, he had not matured in the slightest, and was often seen giving people advice on how to drive their teachers mad. He was also willing to tell anyone who asked about how he had lost his ear in an epic airborne battle with the greatest 'slimy, greasy-haired, long-nosed git' ever seen at Hogwarts, something Harry was currently correcting in good humor as he leaned casually up against a wall of candies that boasted a variety of different abilities, the least of which would get a student out of class.

Ginny left Lily at the door and walked over to where Harry was standing. She whispered something into his ear and he nodded, looking over at Lily and then saying something quietly to Ginny, who then went back to her daughter.

"Get your brother and meet us at the Hogshead in half an hour."

Lily looked quizzically at her mother, who simply shook her head and slipped out the door.

Lily made her way into the shop, ducking as a flying frisbee emanating purple sparks whizzed past her head, chased by a terrified first year boy with blond hair and freckles.

"Hey, Lily!" Harry put his arm around her shoulder in a half hug as she stood next to him. "How's school going?"

"It's barely the end of September, dad, there isn't much going on." She looked at him sideways. He looked casually around the store, nodding slightly.

"That's good. I ought to be off soon. Say hello to your brother for me, okay?" An understanding passed between them as they made eye contact, and they both nodded once before Harry left her side, leaving the same way Ginny went.

Lily looked around the shop. There was no hint of flaming red hair but for her own, which meant that a large cluster of Weasleys were now crammed into the tiny office where George did his business deals, and there was no telling what they were talking about. She shook her head, scanning the crowd for her brother.

* * *

"Alright, what's been going on?"

Lily leaned up against the desk with her arms folded across her chest, looking back and forth between her parents. Albus was sitting at the desk across from his mother, and Harry was pacing up and down the middle of the room.

"There's been some news," Ginny said quietly.

"This is about the war, isn't it?" Lily asked. "Isn't it?"

"Sweety, we don't know anything for certain, but - "

"But this _is_ about the war. I knew it."

"Knew what?" Harry asked.

"She knew it was coming," Albus chimed in. "I think we've all suspected."

"It is not coming."

"Harry, dear, of course it is." Ginny turned to address her children. "We've heard that it was headed this way and we've kept the prime minister in the loop, thank God Shacklebolt isn't the idiot that Scrimgeour was, but we also have some recon info that says the war is actually coming here. And by here, I mean to your father."

Harry ran his hand through his hair.

"Recon?" Albus inquired.

"Uncle Charlie. The news came from Romania."

"Well, shit." Lily looked at her dad.

"You're the head of the department of magical defense, what do we do?"

"The main thing is to not cause a panic," Harry said. "So we need to build resistance, but we need to do it, one, without terrorizing everyone in the country, and two, without any information about what we're actually up against. Charlie's still in Romania doing what he can with intelligence, and Bill's offered to go back to Egypt but Molly won't let him..."

"Does James know?" Albus asked his mother. She nodded, a look of concern crossing her face.

"All right then," Lily said. "We have no information other than we might be in trouble, and no way of defending ourselves at present. What do we do?"

"I'm glad you ask," Ginny said. She reached into her pocket, pulled out a galleon and held it up to the light.

* * *

**A/N: Cookies for the first person to guess (or Google) the name of the charm used on the magical Galleon! Cyber cookies, of course. I'm poor.**

**Normally my chapters rack up around ten thousand words each, but in this story I think it's best I keep them 1,000-1,500 so I can update more quickly, but be warned - this means that I may change my mind and spring ten thousand words on you. Hahah.  
**


	5. Something In The Atmosphere

**A/N: All right, go to youtube, look up "Hedwig's Theme", and listen to it while you read.  


* * *

**In the castle, Neville Longbottom was silently pacing his study, trying to decide whether he should cast silencing spells around his mandrakes instead of giving his students earmuffs, when his pocket felt suddenly and inexplicably warm. He froze.

It was not that Mr. Longbottom did not enjoy his life as a Hogwarts professor. He really did. He loved his wife. He loved his children. He loved his job. He loved the peace of mind that came with knowing everything was okay, and everyone was safe, and no one would have to go through the pain and suffering that rent his family ever again. But there was more to Neville Longbottom than that.

Neville was not particularly cunning, and this was well known by everyone throughout his life. However...

Neville was, when granted the right opportunity - that is to say, when placed within his area of expertise, which was obviously herbology - Neville was absolutely brilliant.

Neville Longbottom was not a Ravenclaw.

Neville was loyal, and a good friend to anyone who needed him to be, regardless of who they were, or what their background was, or their blood status.

Neville Longbottom was not a Hufflepuff.

Neville Longbottom was a Griffindor.

* * *

Luna Lovegood sat at her magical typewriter, finishing up the last "Have You Seen..." article on Crumple Horned Snorkack dung, which was known amongst those who studies Snorkacks to possess the same properties of kneazle snot. The idea was that every week, the "Have You Seen..." would describe some body part of some creature that had magical properties, and readers could write in to say where they knew one to be located. Unfortunately for Luna, few people knew how to identify Crumple-Horned Snorkack dung.

It was then that Rolf walked into the room, carrying some sort of object in his hand. He lay it gently on the desk next to Luna where she stared at it for a moment. Then, her eyes lit up, and her face broke into a wide grin.

* * *

"And then, of course, I figured that these would just be faster," Hermione was saying to Kingsley Shacklebolt as she sat across from him, motioning to the object on the desk. Shacklebolt, however, was staring at the object with wide eyes, and Hermione looked down to see glowing numbers rearranging themselves on the shiny golden surface.

"Oh."

She looked back up to where Shacklebolt was sitting, his fingertips pressed together under his chin. He stared at her with an intensity she had only seen a few times in her life.

"It's starting."

* * *

Working for Ginny Weasley was not something Jordan had imagined himself doing when he was at Hogwarts, but of course, it seemed like the perfectly logical job for someone who loved Quidditch but wasn't much of a player himself. Occasionally he still announced games as a guest, and Ginny did give him a bi-weekly opinion column in which he could rant about the sport, but it was still a long way off from what he had hoped to be doing with his life.

He had typed one whole sentence, after which he had stared at his typewriter for at least an hour. No words were coming to him. He glanced over to his right, where a cupboard sat below the counter. It was dusty. The handle had not been touched in years. It didn't need to be, and the less it was, the better. Even good old Kngsley had agreed that the time in their lives was over. But Lee Jordan couldn't help but feel the oddest sensation picking up in the pit of his stomach. It was as though everything was _not_ over, that there was something in the atmosphere waiting, warning...

He stood up, looking around. Of course no one was home. He was all alone. It wouldn't hurt, right?

He walked silently over to the cupboard, reaching his hand out and placing it on the handle. He was nervous, and didn't know why. But the apprehension and nerves and excitement all mingled into one single sensation in his body that expanded and grew into a need that was formulating itself into words in his brain. He pulled open the cupboard, gingerly taking out the machine inside and setting it on the counter top. Carefully, he unwrapped it from the dirty sheet it had been encased in.

The radio was still in perfect condition, as was the microphone that protruded from the top. He ran his hands along the sides, eyeing the button that would record his voice.

* * *

Molly Weasley was in the kitchen chopping potatoes when the radio clicked on.

_"Good evening, folks, and welcome to Potterwatch."_

So shocked was Molly that she accidentally dropped a knife, slicing open the thumb on her right hand. She swore loudly, pressing a towel to the wound as she stormed over to the radio.

"ARTHUR!" She hollered.

_"River here, faithfully announcing the news from the underground."_

At his wife's screams, Mr. Weasley came running downstairs, skidding to a halt beside her.

"What is it? Ah," he spied the wound.

"What the hell did you do?" Mrs. Weasley screeched. "You've been enchanting things again, haven't you? HAVEN'T YOU? First the car, and now the radio!"

"Radio?" Mr. Weasley looked confusedly between his wife and the radio.

_"There, er... there seems to be no news, actually, at the moment..."_

He and Molly both jumped. They looked sideways at each other and leaned in, Mr. Weasley reaching out to turn up the volume.

_"I apologize for the recent absence from the airways, folks, but as you know, it's been twenty five years since we've even had news to share."_

"Arthur... Arthur, when it came on it said _Potterwatch_..."

"Could it be?"

_"So, seeing as there really is no news, I think we ought to settle instead for a nice moment of silence in honor of all those who have died in the battle against the Dark Lord. We lost a lot of good ones, folks, Remus Lupin for one, who was a very nice man and a great hero and anyone who says otherwise can come over here and say it to my face; and his wife, Nymphadora Tonks. The couple left behind a young son who went under the custody of his Godfather, Mr. Potter, until he came of age. We lost mad-Eye Moody, a few good Aurors. Hogwarts lost a good number of students and a teacher or two. We all lost friends, we all lost family."_

Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Weasley spoke. They didn't even dare to breathe.

_"I, myself, lost a very good man and one of my best friends, Fred Weasley."_

Molly broke, turning into Arthur's shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her.

_"So let's take the next minute as a moment of silence, folks, for everyone we've lost."_

Molly's sobs were the only sound for a full sixty seconds. Then, Jordan continued.

_"Yes, indeed, the war was a vicious one, but we need to remain strong. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"_

They jumped.

_"That is what Mad-Eye Moody would be saying right now, if he were here. Yes, folks, constant, constant vigilance. Unfortunately_, _seeing as there's not much news, Potterwatch will not be - oh. Hey, what's this?"_

Molly looked at Arthur who shrugged. There was a moment of silence, and Lee's voice came on again, suddenly full of fire.

_"By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes. Potterwatch will be implementing the password system again. The code for the next show is _'Dumbledore's Army_'."_

* * *

**Would you like to know what I think? I think that Harry Potter is so popular because everyone actually wants to be him. Everyone is secretly, deep, deep down in their hearts, living in a broom closet under the staircase. And deep, deep down in our hearts, we all wish we had a magical castle boarding school of witchcraft and wizardry we could go to.**


	6. Resurrecting The Order

**A/N: Does anyone else feel as though Hogwarts, the castle itself, is alive? Or am I just mad? Anyway, I'm watching 2012 right now, so watch out for spontaneous apocalypse signs... That was a joke. I do that sometimes. The spontaneous signs of apocalypse won't come until chapter 13.  


* * *

**"Bad-_ass_," Lily said, watching the numbers on Harry's coin glow red and rearrange themselves:

08-05-20-23-08-00

"October fifth?" Ginny looked up at Harry. Her coin was on the table next to his, and it, too glowed as it changed, emanating a soft heat.

"It's been twenty seven years, to the day, since our first meeting," Harry said quietly. "I never thought we'd need it again."

"Do we get coins?" Albus asked. "We could use our own set, you know. Like... you guys get it for the Order, and we'll get a set of the D.A., and then, you know..."

"Er..." Ginny said. "Perhaps we ought to wait until Hermione can cast the Protean, I was never good with those kinds of charms."

"Right," Harry said. "I'll be meeting her shortly."

"And whomever else still has their coin, right?"

"Yeah."

"What do you want us to do, exactly?" Albus asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Lily asked, tucking her hair behind her ears. "They're taking everyone who was in Dumbledore's Army and resurrecting the Order of the Phoenix, and we're going to go back to school and start training students. Just in case."

"Right." Harry looked up from the coin to his two children. "James may only be eighteen, but he's working abroad. We need eyes and ears inside Hogwarts."

"Who can we trust?" Albus asked.

"The core of the original army," Ginny said.

"Everyone in our family?" Lily asked.

"Right," Harry replied. "You two, Rose and Hugo, Lorcan and Lysander... your older cousins are all over the place, but if you know of anyone else you can trust?"

"Abigail," Albus said. "Lily's friend, muggle-born. Huge fan of yours, tough as Grandma Molly."

"Okay," Harry said, nodding. "Talk to some people in your years and up, but be careful. Don't tell strangers. Get someone to vouch for them. You can talk to Professor Longbottom, but don't tell other teachers just yet."

"And make sure that you don't go too far out of your way to break the rules, try and meet during the afternoons or something," Ginny added. "We don't need you getting in trouble over this."

"Right."

"What do we need to teach people?" Albus asked.

"We'll make a list," Harry replied.

* * *

Saying their goodbyes and promising to keep in touch, Lily and Albus rejoined Rose, Hugo, Abigail, Lysander, and Lorcan at The Three Broomsticks for butterbeers. They all leaned in, whispering hurriedly.

"And we're meeting at the herbology greenhouses at three, then walking there together, right? So we all know how to find it again." Lily was explaining as everyone sat with wide eyes. Even Hugo was so impressed by the sudden idea of a secret club that he had, it seemed, temporarily forgiven Lily for defending Scorpius, albeit only indirectly.

"And they say that it's because the war is coming?"

"I don't know," Lily hissed, "But remember, the point is secrecy. We don't know, and that means that we don't know what we don't know, so we need to be prepared."

"We need to be prepared for knowing what we don't know?" Lorcan asked for clarification.

"Right," Albus said.

"Perfect."

"That doesn't make much sense," Rose interjected. "If we don't know, how can we know what we need to know to not know and... oh, how confusing."

"We just need to learn basic defensive work and some good hexes just in case," Lily said. "Mum gave me a list of basic defensive work to start with."

"Why am I a part of this?" Abigail asked timidly. "I mean it's not that I'm not thankful, I mean I am, but I was just wondering because I'm not family, and I know the twins aren't either but at least your father knew their parents and mine are just muggles, so-"

"You're here because you're my friend," Lily said, "Because you believe in the cause, because we want you to be safe, and because we trust you. Now," she turned to address everyone in the group, "Anyone who fits this profile is someone we invite. If, for any reason, every single person in this core right here doesn't agree on a member joining us, they're out."

"Now what are you kids up to?" Madame Rosmerta bustled by their huddle carrying a tray of butterbeers. She looked between Rose, Hugo, James, and Lily and sighed.

"You kids are just like your parents, all whispering and... oh, stay out of trouble!"

"Yes ma'am," Hugo said, grinning. She waved them off and delivered the butterbeers to a table of students across the room.

Lily watched her go, and in doing so she realized to whom the tray of butterbeers was going. There, sitting at a table across the room, in a corner surrounded by shadows, was Scorpius Malfoy.

He looked up at Lily, and for a moment none of their friends noticed. He leaned his head toward the direction of the school and she pressed her eyes together once, and when she opened them she rolled her eyes and returned all appearance of attention back to her group of friends. Hugo was glaring at her, and she shrugged, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. He then glared at Scorpius, but he wasn't looking.

The gang changed the course of the conversation to more conventional things, but every so often Hugo would stare at Lily, who did not look back to Scorpius. At some point they got up and stalked past on their way out, but she pretended to be deeply interested in Lorcan's description of his mother's plans to travel to Sweden to find a Crumple-Horned Snorkack.

* * *

Lily slowed her pace, falling slightly behind the group. Lysander followed suit, but she shook her head. He nodded once, then proceeded to engage Hugo in a very heated discussion on which Quidditch team was best.

There was a point where a fallen tree ran parallel to the path between Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. Scorpius had discovered that by stepping over it, one would find another trail leading to a small clearing in the woods just outside the castle grounds, and he had shared it only with Lily. They had agreed to use it at a meeting spot, and when she stepped into the clearing, he was already there waiting for her.

They kissed in greeting and he started gushing apologies.

"I'm so sorry about this afternoon and I didn't want to cause a scene but you know how Hugo is, from what I hear he's just like his dad and don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with his dad and I know he's a great Auror but I've heard he's got a bit of a temper, too, don't you see it in him? And-"

"Scorpius, Scorpius, no no, no, it's fine." She placed her hand over his mouth.

"He's antagonizing you. I know." She removed her hand. "I'm working on it."

"Speaking of antagonizing, how did it go?"

"Well..." Lily bit her lip.

"That bad?"

"No, well, I only told mum, you see, and she was angry at first, of course, but I don't think she's going to murder you, and in any case we agreed not to tell dad because, well... you know. Bad idea?"

"Right. What are you up to, anyway?"

"Mmm, secret." She smiled.

"Oh really? I bet I could convince you to tell me."

"I bet you could, too, but... no, Scorpius, for the love of - _not here!_"

He snickered, opting to kiss her on the forehead instead.

"Oh, my precious Lily. What will I ever do without you?"

"I don't know. Meet me tonight?"

"Of course."

* * *

**A/N: I think there's a ghost in my house. The little nightlight in the dollhouse won't work at all when you push the button, but if you're in the middle of writing a fanfic it'll start singing "Go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep little baby..."**

**Creepy!  
**

**In other news - WHO'S WATCHING A HARRY POTTER WEEKEND ON ABC FAMILY? I am! Starting with Philosopher's Stone, which is actually 'Sorcerer's Stone' in America because Jo's publishers knew that no one in America would read anything related to thinking in the title. Refer to comedian Myq Kaplan's Last Comic Standing audition on the Y-tube - "Brad Pitt's in this book?" for details.  
**


	7. Of Both Great And Little Importance

**A/N: This ENTIRE chapter is for acompletestranger, for being the only one to watch A Harry Potter Weekend with me - Chamber of Secrets tomorrow! Screw the rest of you. . . That was another joke. I still do those sometimes. But just the screw you part. The dedication was serious.**

**

* * *

** It was the wait that killed her.

Lily lay in bed, waiting, listening for the clock to chime midnight. It was at that time that both she and Scorpius agreed to always meet, whenever they both wanted to risk being out of bed after hours - which was happening with more and more frequency. The day's events played like movies in her brain and her thoughts floated humorously between how to convince her mother to invite Scorpius to dinner, how to keep her dad from killing him, and trying to figure out a charm or potion to make Hugo calm down.

And then, finally - the tiny clock in the fifth year girl's dormitory chimed twelve. Barely daring to breathe, Lily got out of bed and put on her robes as silently as possible. She put her wand in her pocked and has just finished closing the curtains around her four-poster bed when she heard another movement in the room. She held still listening, and nearly jumped out of her skin when Abigail spoke.

"You're going out again, aren't you?"

"Abby," Lily said quietly, "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"No," she said, slightly offended. "I just don't want you sneaking out in the middle of the night and getting hurt, or in trouble. Especially not for that Malfoy boy."

Lily's heart began to hammer.

"What do you mean?"

"I saw you this afternoon. I saw Lysander trying to distract Hugo. And it's not like you talk to any boys who aren't family, and Xander is, you know, not the right type, and Lorcan is a bit funny, nice as hell, but funny... I just figured, after the whole episode this afternoon, that... you know..."

She was met with silence.

"Lily? You there?"

"Yeah."

"Well?"

"He's a good guy, Abby." Lily walked to the door, and as she left she heard Abby respond.

"Yeah, but is he worth it?"

* * *

Lily slipped into the room, inching the door shut to make sure that it didn't make noise. There were relatively few paintings in the halls between the common room and the room where they met, and Lily had walked the halls enough times during the day to be able to make it there in the dark without the use of her wand's light. The only worry was Peeves, and he was nowhere to be seen.

When she felt the door click shut, she turned around. The room in question was an out-of-use classroom, and the desks and chairs were piled high up against the walls in the corners of the room. There was no moon tonight, and Scorpius had opted for candles in lieu of it. A hundred tiny white candles floated throughout the room, casting odd yet not remotely frightening shadows all over the room.

Scorpius sat on the floor in the middle, fiddling with something. He looked up when she had entered the room.

"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, what _are_ you up to?" She put her hands on her hips in a mock stern movement. He smiled.

"Join me?" She obliged, sitting herself cross legged on the floor facing him.

"New moon, you know." He started fiddling with a small box in his lap, staring at it the whole time. "I wanted candles, because, you know, we needed some kind of light, and I - I thought candles were romantic. I wanted this to be romantic. Tonight needs to be romantic."

"Scorpius, you didn't have to do this for me."

"But I wanted to," he said as he looked up at her. "It's been two years, you know."

"Yeah," Lily said quietly. "I know."

"Things have just been..."

"Crazy?"

"Yeah," he said. "Crazy. Something like that."

"The candles are beautiful, though, really." His face broke into a wide smile.

"You do like them?"

"Of course I like them."

"Good."

They sat in silence for a few moments before Lily spoke.

"People know."

"Who?"

"Mum, I told. Abby and Xander figured it out. I think Hugo suspects." He let out a whistle.

"Well... this is what we wanted, right? We wanted people to know?"

"Yeah, I suppose. It's just..."

"There's still a lot of judgment being passed around these days."

"Right."

"So we need to keep a low profile."

"For now, I suppose," Lily said. "Especially with - " Her eyes widened.

"With what?"

"I can't tell you." There was an awkward moment of silence where he stared at her and she plead with her eyes. He backed down first.

"You can't tell me."

"I'm so sorry, Scorpius, it's just with my mum, and then dad and Albus, and the whole family, and - "

"It's okay," he said. "I understand. We need some semblance of a life without each other."

"I would if I could, but there are - there may be lives at stake, Scorpius."

"Are you in trouble?"

"No, no," she said, "It's nothing like that."

"This has to do with the war, doesn't it?"

Lily nodded.

"That's all I can say, so can we please just drop it? I want to enjoy my time with you. We hardly ever get to spend time together unless it's 'hurry, hurry, someone's coming, someone might see us'... I like this. I like just being able to be with you and not worry about someone I don't know telling someone we're doing something and it's just so... it's stressful, Scorpius. I'm sick of it."

"So, let's just enjoy what time we have," he said.

They spent hours talking about things of both great and little importance. Scorpius was taking his N.E.W.T.s at the end of the year and Lily her O.W.L.s, and there was much grief to be had over it. They talked about the weather and seasons changing, and about the sky and the stars and the universe and every little random thing that popped into their heads.

Eventually Lily yawned, stretching.

"I think I need to go to bed, soon."

Scorpius smiled, leaning forward to kiss her on the cheek.

"Yeah, probably. But one more thing?"

"Yeah, sure, anything."

"Here."

He handed her the box he had been fidgeting with earlier. She stared at it in her hands, then looked back up to Scorpius.

"What is it?"

He looked like a cross between exasperated and amused.

"It's a present, silly. You open it."

"Why?"

"To see what's inside!" She smiled.

"I _know_ that, but I meant... why?"

"Because it's our anniversary, silly. Two years. You get each other presents and stuff, right?"

"Yeah, but..." She suddenly looked horrified. "I didn't get you anything."

"It's not like that," he said, taking her hands between his. He looked into her eyes when he spoke.

"I got you a present because it's our two year anniversary, and because I wanted to do something special for you. I wanted you to have a gift commemorating this day, because this day commemorates the gift I have had every day for the past two years, Lily. Every day I wake up the luckiest man alive, because _you_ are a part of my life."

She nodded, trying not to cry and failing. He wiped away a tear.

"The faster you open this, the faster you can get to bed." She snorted, placing the box into her lap and opening it cautiously. She reached inside and pulled out what was there, setting it on the ground in front of her.

It was a tiny model unicorn. It was made of pure crystal, which reflected the candlelight and made the entire room sparkle. Its body was clear, but its horn was tinted silver and its hooves gold. It stood munching on a green crystal field with minuscule rainbow flowers, but upon being pulled out of its container, reared up and whinnied. Its miniature hooves pounded the air, landing with a tiny "chink!" on the crystal ground beneath. Deciding that Lily was only going to stare at it, it returned to munching.

"Oh, Scorpius..."

"You like it?"

"It's beautiful!"

"Lily?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."


	8. A Pet of Sorts

**A/N: OMG GIL GRISSOM! I'm watching Manhunter, but Hannibal ain't Hannibal without Hopkins. I feel the odd need to bookend my chapters with Author Notes, but maybe I should just stop.  
**

**

* * *

**Lily rounded a corner and found herself looking straight into a lit wand. The sudden light blinded her for a moment, and as she squinted she heard a familiar voice.

"Just what do you think you're doing out of bed at this hour?"

Headmistress McGonagall lowered her wand so that Lily could see her face. Lily smiled.

"Just the professor I was looking for!"

McGonagall stared.

"The kitchens are just down this way. Care to join me?"

She blinked once, then sighed.

"You are your father's child." She turned and they walked in silence to the portrait of fruit, where Lily reached up to tickle the pear. A handle appeared, and together she and McGonagall went in.

* * *

Having been dismissed, the elves went back to their work, but every so often one would come over and offer more pumpkin juice, or more cakes. Lily devoured the sweets, but McGonagall opted simply for juice.

Lily sat the box on the table and pulled out the unicorn, setting it down gently. It had laid down at some point, and upon being woken up it had glared at Lily with ferocity before going back to sleep. Lily watched it, smiling.

"That's rather impressive," McGonagall said, examining it.

"Scorpius gave it to me."

McGonagall's eyebrows shot up.

"The Malfoy boy?"

Lily looked up at her.

"It's our two year anniversary, you know."

"No, I was unaware."

"Mum knows, dad doesn't. I'm not sure. He's not his father, you know, but people don't understand that."

"I see how that would cause you two problems."

"Ah, yes, speaking of problems! I don't suppose you've been following the war?"

"Miss Potter, though I am the Headmistress of a school, I find it of great relevance to be aware of the events of our world."

"They're saying it's coming here."

"So I have heard."

"Dad thinks that whatever it is, it's coming for him."

"With all due respect Miss Potter, I don't think - "

" - that Dad is the target of more than one Dark wizard, right?"

"I just find it highly unlikely that - "

"Well whatever the case may be," Lily interrupted, "We're preparing. Dad's called back together the Order of the Phoenix, no doubt you'll be invited soon enough, I think, and we're going to resurrect Dumbledore's Army here."

McGonagall sat in shock.

"I know it probably feels like he's trying to undermine your authority, but I assure you that he isn't, it's all a matter of safety because, you know, Hogwarts is supposed to be the safest place in Wizarding Britain, and he really does like you, you know, he was glad when they put you in charge, although I really must say things aren't as bad as they were."

"And just what do you propose I do, Miss Potter?"

"Well, nothing, actually. We'll need the Room of Requirement to practice in but all we'll be doing is defensive spells and maybe some light curse work, but Dad promises to be there personally to teach us that if need be so there's no need to worry. Mum can do a mean Bat-Bogey Hex, you know. I think she may have learned it from you."

The corners of Professor McGonagall's mouth turned up slightly at the corners.

"That may be so, but we still have rules a this school, Miss Potter. You ought to be off to bed before anyone realizes you're missing and I have to take away house points."

"I thought teachers weren't supposed to show House favoritism?" Lily asked slyly, carefully putting her unicorn back in his box as to not wake him.

McGonagall winked at her, a truly rare sight, standing up and ushering her out the door.

* * *

Lily woke on the morning of October fifth earlier than usual.

The sun was just beginning to rise and as she dressed, her room was filled with a grayish light that made everything look the same shade of colorless blue. She went down to the common room and sat in front of the fireplace in an over-sized chair, pretending to read. In groups of twos and threes and occasionally as individuals, people began to follow her, dressing and going downstairs. Some stayed in the common room with her, some left to get to the Great Hall early for breakfast.

To almost everyone in the castle it was a normal Thursday, and there was nothing to mark it as being any different than every other Thursday. But for Lily, anticipation made her stomach ache and the idea of eating made her more than a little sick. Still, she went down to the Great Hall to meet with her friends. Though they all gave each other looks, no one said a word about what they were waiting for.

The morning dragged by for Lily as it does when one is waiting for something exciting to happen, but the monotony of classes was disrupted by the odd glances she kept getting from teachers. Professor Longbottom was particularly nice when instructing Lily and Abby how to properly handle fanged geraniums without being bitten, and Flitwick awarded five points to Griffindor every time someone properly got their teacups to sprout legs, though Hufflepuff was equally rewarded and so no one complained.

After lunch, Lily and Abby had a double potions class with Ravenclaw, which meant that Lorcan and Lysander would be in their class with them. It passed relatively uneventfully, but for one particularly embarrassing episode with Professor Slughorn.

Despite the chaos of the Battle of Hogwarts, Slughorn had found himself particularly fond of the school, and had decided to stay. Although he was getting on in age, it only made him more lenient and therefore agreeable. Lily had a love of potions that was not inherited from her father, and because of this had become a pet of sorts for Professor Slughorn, and she had been invited to the Slug Club shortly after entering his class. As it happened, two of her favorite blond males also were members.

Part of being a Slug Club member meant discussing, in a social environment, advances in the art of potion making. Part of being a Slug Club member meant tutoring other students who were less skilled in the class. Part of being a Slug Club member also meant being frequently singled out in class, as Lily was that morning.

They were left to their own devices, which normally was not an ordeal. However, they were now in their O.W.L. year, and studying was rigorous, the classes austere. It was because of this that Lily was incredibly flustered when Slughorn walked up to their table and attempted to initiate conversation.

"So, Lily, I trust you'll be attending the Slug Club Halloween Party?"

"Er..." Lily looked up at him, setting down the ingredients she was measuring.

"Surely a lady like yourself would have all sorts of gentlemen callers to choose from!" He looked at her, waiting for her to acknowledge the compliment. She nodded once, staring down at where her book lay open, pretending to read the instructions.

"I will be attending, but at present I think making sure my potion comes out okay is slightly more important."At this, Slughorn's smile faded, the corners of his mouth turning down.

She took a deep breath before picking up her vial again. She forced a smile and looked up at him, doing her best to beam.

"After all, if I start failing potions, I won't be invited to the ball anyway!" Lily thought she heard Lysander chuckle next to her as Slughorn cleared his throat, oblivious to Lily's temperament. He nodded to her, walking away to watch over some students at another table.

"So, Lily, I trust you'll be attending my Teacher's Pet menagerie?" Lysander said, mocking Slughorn's tone. She snorted, glaring at him sideways before dumping the next set of ingredients into her cauldron.

"Seriously though, you're going, right?"

"Mhm."

"So," Lysander said, "It could be your coming out party!"

"Could be yours."

"You know what I mean, Lils. _He's_ a Slug Club member too. You could always just come together." After three whole seconds of silence, Lysander snorted, brushing off the impending laughter as a coughing fit with more grace than Lily had seen her Uncle Ron pull off in the face of Aunt Hermione's wrath. Even the corner of Lily's mouth turned upward.

"I suppose we could."

"Who cares what people think anyway, right?"

"Xander, why is it you're working so hard to push us together?"

"Because," he replied in a matter-of-fact tone, "I know how stressful keeping a relationship hidden is, and I think it'll be good for you to get it out. Besides, you have a good judge of character. If you like him, I'm sure he's not the stupid git his father was."

"Thanks, Xander." He grinned.

"Anytime."

* * *

**A/N: Sorry I took so long Anni. I'll try to get the next one up tomorrow.  
**


	9. The Room of Requirements

**A/N: Soundtrack of the day? John Williams' "Duel of the Fates" from Star Wars. WHEEEE!**

* * *

It was with no amount of patience that Lily paced back and forth rather aggressively across the Griffindor common room after potions. Abigail sat in a chair in front of the fireplace reading a book, looking up occasionally at Lily.

Though the common room wasn't completely empty, no one paid Lily much attention. Shortly after two, Hugo appeared, merely staring at Lily from the entrance. She glanced at Abigail, who was stuffing her book into her bag and standing up. Together the three of them exited the common room and made their way hastily towards the Herbology classes where Albus and Rose were learning about the magical properties of Sneezewort.

They arrived before the class had finished and so lurked around the greenhouses for a few minutes.

When the doors to one of the greenhouses opened they scrambled toward it, screeching to a halt to avoid running into the students exiting. Albus and Rose were last, closely followed by Professor Longbottom. The group froze when he stepped outside of the greenhouse. He took one look at their faces and laughed.

"You're not in trouble, you know."

Rose remained tense, though everyone else in the group relaxed.

"You guys are just like your parents."

"Sir?" Hugo looked confused.

"You especially."

Lily cracked a smile.

"I suppose dad's already told you?" Albus inquired.

"No, but I can guess. You know where the room is?"

"Er... yeah. You still have your coin, don't you?"

"What coin?" Rose interjected.

"I'll tell you later."

She glared at her cousin before looking back up at her professor.

"Thank you."

"Not a problem. You guys better hurry up."

They thanked him, then walked rather quickly to the third floor corridor.

* * *

"All right," Albus said. "Let me do this."

"Wait!" Rose grabbed his arm. "We have to make sure it gives us everything we need."

"Oh come _on_!" Hugo complained.

"No, I think it's a good idea," Lily said. "Let's make a list of what we need."

"Well we need a large room, big enough for a decent amount of people, right?"

"But there's not a lot of us here," Hugo pointed out.

"Well not _now_," Rose pointed out, "But when we start regular meetings, there should be more."

"Oh."

"Considering the fact that we're starting with defensive spells," Lorcan suddenly said, "Perhaps we ought to request some safety precautions."

"Good," Albus said."Like pillows to fall back on?"

"Well, I was actually talking about the foot of a Flying Wrackymongle, they're supposed to be lucky, you know, and - "

"A what?"

Lorcan inexplicably took after his mother, and though most of the Weasley family's children were well acquainted with being introduced to fictional creatures at random, it was something Abigail had not, in her four and a half years of casual acquaintance with the boy, yet come to appreciate as standard behavior.

"A Flying Wrackymongle. Mum thinks there's a wild colony in Britain and we're hoping to take an expedition over the break to try and find them so we can document their natural behaviors."

"Er... guys?" Albus looked between Abigail, whose face was one of shock, Lorcan's, whose face was one of dream-like oblivion, and everyone else's, whose faces were simply conveying amused embarrassment.

"Right," Rose said. "So we want a big-ish room, without sharp corners, lots of soft things, and perhaps we could get a small library?"

"Rose!" Hugo yelled at his sister. "We're here to learn defensive spells, not to sit on our arses reading books!"

"I _know_ that, Hugo, but in case _you_ forgot, between our parents and Uncle Harry, there happen to be no less then thirteen books, a few of which are spell books, so..."

"Oh yeah, I forgot."

"Oh, and make sure no one but D.A. members can find the room!" Lysander added.

"So a big room, some soft furniture and floors, and a small shelf with all of our parent's books on them. Anything else?"

"How about a sandwich?"

"How many times do I have to tell you that food is an exception to - "

Amidst the sibling's bickering, Albus calmed himself, taking a deep breath and walking back and forth in front of the wall where the Room of Requirements was supposed to be. On his third pass, a large, plain door appeared. The group stared at it in shock, and even Hugo stopped mid-sentence to look at the door.

"Well, might as well have a go at it," he said, pushing the door open. The group stepped inside.

It was relatively moderate in size, but most of the room was clear, making it appear larger than it was. The floor was covered in fluffy purple carpeting enhanced by a cushioning charm, and seven equally plushy oversized chairs lined the back wall. On the adjacent wall stood a bookshelf, and it contained all of the books written by Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

Four great tapestries lined the wall to the left, each bearing the colors, animals, and symbols of the four Houses. Between Slytherin and Griffindor was a fifth, larger than the others. It was black, and bore bust images of three people - Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, and Minerva McGonagall.

On the back of the door was a small frame that Lily noticed upon closing it behind her, being the last one to walk into the contained two figures in black robes. One was tall, pale, without an actual nose, and vivid red eyes. The other was a face she knew well, with a mess of black hair and green eyes, equally vivid. They twisted and turned, colors blasting throughout the frame in an endless loop, a battle that would never end...

Lily shuddered, walking over to the bookshelf where Rose and Lysander were examining the shelves. It included such titles as_ Expelliarmus - The Role of Ethics in Dueling_, _The Seven Magical Uses of the Patronus Charm, _and _Defense Against the Dark Arts - Supplemental Spellwork _volumes one and two, all by her father, as well as Hermione's book _Unforgivable - Why the Three Curses Should be Banished from Culture. _The rest of Hermione's books, about the rights of non wizard magical creatures with the exception of one book on how Pureblood elitism would turn the entire Wizarding world into a bunch of imbecilic inbreds, as well as Ron's autobiography and a rather interesting philosophical look at the curse of Hogwarts' Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching position - which had, coincidentally, been broken when Voldemort fell - were on the shelf, separated from the others by a model dragon, forming triplets with the bookends.

Rose pulled _Expelliarmus_ off the shelf, tossing it to Albus, who had joined Abby, Hugo, and Lorcan in testing out the squishing capabilities of the chairs, which were, to their joy, absolutely perfect.

"Well?" She said. "Let's get this party started."


	10. All Important Matters

Lily met with Scorpius again that night. When she slipped into the room she spied Scorpius standing against the windowsill, looking over a letter. A light was emanating from his wand, illuminating the parchment. He did not look up when she walked in.

Lily cleared her throat.

He started, relaxing once he realized who she was.

"What have you got there?" She asked.

"A letter."

"Anything interesting?" She walked quietly over to him.

"It's a hisser."

"Hah. I should have guessed. Who'd you piss off this time?" He stared at her before answering.

"Your mother."

Lily went pale.

"Damn it."

"It could be worse."

"Oh really?"

"It could have been your father," he pointed out. "Or a howler."

"True. May I?"

Scorpius handed the letter over to Lily. She tapped it with her wand and the ink moved, pooling at the center of the paper where it moved and rearranged until it formed the image of her mother. And then it began to speak in her voice.

"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy!" It was not the screaming of a howler, but the soft, quiet, poisonous hiss that her mother's voice became when she was dangerous. It did not convey emotion, only the subtle sense that something was terribly, terribly wrong. Lily thought that perhaps she had learned the trick from Professor Severus Snape. She had obviously never met him, but her family had spent a large amount of time making fun of him as a teacher, and the way when he spoke was often referred to.

"I don't know what she sees in you," the letter continued, "Although I admit that this is in part due to the fact that our families do not have a history of agreeing with one another. For this reason, and because I trust my daughter's judgment of the value of your character, I will allow you two to handle the parameters of your relationship as you both shall see fit. My husband does not know, and he will not be informed unless the two of you choose to do so yourselves. Just remember this - I have eyes and ears all over the school. And if I find out you do anything, and I mean _anything_, to hurt my daughter..."

Lily cringed as her mother's voice got exceedingly quieter, until it was barely more than a venomous whisper.

"I'll tell my mother."

The ink re-formed into words written on the page, and her mother's signature graced the bottom. Lily looked back up at her boyfriend.

"That was quite an interesting threat," he muttered. Lily snorted.

"You've never met my grandmother."

* * *

Dumbledore's Army had agreed to meet twice per week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, in the Room of Requirements at three o'clock. At the second meeting they had made a list of characteristics required of potential new recruits; at the third they had drawn up a contract that Rose jinxed - an idea she had acquired from both her mother and her knowledge of the Fidelius charm - so that those who signed it could not reveal information regarding the group without falling under an immediate spell of unknown properties. Despite Hugo's immense curiosity and insistence that he be involved, Rose refused to tell anyone about the nature of the jinx, and only offered one piece of advice - that no one tell others about the group once they signed the contract.

It was at the fourth meeting that they made a list of people that they all trusted - mostly Griffindor and Ravenclaw, although a few names present were Hufflepuff - and decided who would approach each of them with an offer to join Dumbledore's Army. Most of them were the offspring of children from the original Army, although a few new names came from purely Muggle families. In the end they had a list of twenty-three names including their own, and consented to have everyone sign by the end of the sixth meeting.

Having covered all important maters regarding the Army, the group disbanded and left the room in pairs to go get dinner at the Great Hall. Lily and Lysander were the last to leave, and upon walking away the door to the Room of Requirements melded back into the large gray bricks that made up the wall.

"So," Lysander started, "Have you talked to him yet?"

"No," Lily sighed.

"Lily, you only have two weeks until the party. You have to invite him!"

"I don't have to invite him, he's already coming."

"Stop being so difficult!" Lysander chastised her. "You need to go with him. Out in the open! It'll be good for you."

"You keep saying that," Lily muttered.

"That's because I mean it." The tone of his voice was sincere, and Lily was first to back down.

"Fine then. Fine. I'll talk to him later."

"Good. Now that _that's_ been settled, what are you wearing?"

"Er..." Lysander grabbed her arm, pulling her aside to the edge of the corridor.

"You still don't know?"

"I know, I know! I just... haven't gotten around to it yet."

"Yeah, that's it. We're going to Hogsmeade this weekend."

"No, Xander - "

"Yes. We're getting you a bloody cute dress and that is that!"

* * *

_October 5th, 2023 - 7:43 P.M._

Neville Longbottom was the first to show. He apparated into the graveyard, absorbing the silence for a moment before he followed the path that lead out. He knew his way; he had been to the Potter's residence even as a child. Many a wizard had. It was Harry, of course, who decided to fix the house after he proposed to Ginny. It had been kept as it was the night of Lily and James' death for over two decades. It stood as a reminder to the wizarding world and all who visited of the power that darkness held, and of the power of love, the ability of sacrifice to save another life.

After Voldemort fell, Harry decided that it would be far more damaging to his image to rebuild the part of the house that had been destroyed, rather than to leave a reminder of the destruction he had wrought upon the entire world. He had spoke for a considerable length about it with Ginny, who had agreed with him. Raising their family, loving one another in the house where love had shown its true power, was far superior to letting darkness remain in a world where it was no longer relevant.

And so rebuild they did.

Harry and Ginny had decided to be honest with their children from the beginning, and so no one ever questioned the sign in the front yard that was covered in writings and well-wished from Harry's supporters. After moving into the house, the people who came went from writing on the sign to bringing notes to the door. Though the couple tired of the constant stream of visitors, they received them all with grace and Ginny always had something prepared for unannounced guests. Sometimes when things got too complicated, the family would spend a few days at the Burrow, or perhaps with Bill and Fleur at their place. No matter what was going on, the Weasley family always had room for more.

This night was different, of course. Everyone who still had their coin from the D.A. days received an owl with one simple message - _Godric's Hollow_ - and a slightly more informative version containing the date and time was sent to everyone else - fifteen members of the Weasley family no longer in school, Victoire and Teddy Tonks, Aberforth Dumbledore, Hestia Jones, Hagrid, and Kingsley.

And so it came to be that forty people were crammed inside a cottage in Godric's Hollow.

* * *

"All right, I need everyone to shut up or I'll hex you all!"

"It's true," Harry said, laughing. "She's got a mean bat-bogey."

After a bit of hollering and laughing, everyone quieted down.

"Okay, so I'm going to explain everything, but I need everyone to remain quiet through the entire thing. I'll explain as much as I can and take questions at the end."

"And if you speak out of turn I'll hex you," Ginny said, only partially kidding as she twirled her wand between her fingers.

"Aye, she's a keeper, Harry," Bill yelled.

"Hey!" She pointed her wand at his chest as he slid his hands into the air defensively.

"Mister Potter!" McGonagall yelled. "The less time I have to be away from my school the better. Do go on."

"Right," he said.


	11. One by One

It turned out that everyone on the list opted to join the group, and so by the fifth meeting of Dumbledore's Army there were not only the original seven members, but fourteen children of original army members as well as four muggle-borns deemed trustworthy and interested in the cause.

Lily noted that the Room of Requirements seemed to have expanded to accommodate the extra members, and added extra chairs in a semicircle along the back wall so that all twenty five members could sit around and discuss whatever needed to be discussed. Rose pulled the contract out of her bag, and sat everyone down to explain it to them.

"Okay," she said, holding up the paper, "Here's how this works. This club is secret. You don't tell anyone about it. If you join, you sign the document. If you join and sign the document and you talk about it, the jinx activates. I cannot tell you what the jinx is or what the symptoms are or how to get rid of it. Once you join, you're joined for life. So if you join and sign, don't talk."

Patrick Finnigan, Seamus' son and the youngest member in only his fourth year, spoke up.

"And what happens if we don't want to sign?"

Rose smiled. It was a look of pure vindictive joy.

"Hugo here gets to obliviate you."

Hugo grinned, and the resemblance to his father was remarkable.

Patrick gulped, and everyone in the room looked at Albus and Lily to see if they were serious. Albus nodded, and one by one everyone signed their names to the sheet, which Rose then tucked back into her book bag.

"So let's get started," Albus said.

"Do we get to do Patronuses? Potter did Patronuses." Patrick piped up again.

"Yes, well my father had a slightly different need when he formed Dumbledore's Army the first time."

"I heard your Patronus was a doe."

"Er... no, actually, mine was a bull, and Lily's was a dolphin, I think, but she's not that good at it so I couldn't tell - "

"Whoa, how do you pick them?"

"You don't," Albus said, "They just sort of happen, but - "

"Are they big?"

"The more energy you put into them the bigger they are, but that's not the point because - "

"But I heard - "

" - WE'RE NOT DOING THOSE YET!"

The room fell silent as everyone turned to stare at Albus.

"We're starting with stunning spells and _expelliarmus_. Everyone pair up."

* * *

Two days later, Abigail and Lysander accompanied Lily to Hogsmeade in order to obtain a nice dress for the Slug Club Halloween Party. In truth, Lysander was also in need of proper dress robes for the occasion, seeing as he and his mother did not share the same sort of fashion sense. Because he so detested the neon green dress robes she had bought for him and Lorcan, it was the perfect opportunity to address the issue.

It was because of this that they entered the tiny robe shop on the main street at Hogsmeade. It was run by a squib by the name of Evangeline, who had spent so much time fixing robes for her many grandchildren, all magical, that she had found it only logical that she should open such a shop. She was a skinny, short old woman, but nevertheless the had a way of towering over whomever crossed her.

She was especially fond of the students, though, and often gave them discounts if they bought things for school, and so Lysander decided that he needed new robes for nearly every occasion. Needless to say, he and Evangeline were very good friends.

On their way down the street, however, they ran into Albus and Hugo, who decided to accompany them, and so the five entered the shop and Lysander requested something he had previously designed. Evangeline went into the storage room in the back to find the proper fabric just as three figures walked in through the front door.

Malfoy never went anywhere without Goyle and Parkinson, though Lily could never think of a reason why he hung out with such people beyond either a family habit or a need to blend in with his Housemates as a need for survival. At present it was three against five, but Goyle and Parkinson were big guys for their age, and could easily take on two each. Of course, it was Hugo who always went out looking to pick a fight.

"What the hell are you doing here, Malfoy?"

He looked Hugo straight in the eye.

"As I am sure you are aware, seeing that your cousin and friend are members as well, I am a part of Professor Slughorn's Slug Club, which is hosting the annual Halloween Party in a few days. I ave outgrown my dress robes and require new ones for the occasion. May I inquire as to what the hell _you_ are doing here, Weasley?"

Hugo's mouth was open slightly and he stared ahead. Lysander stepped forward and waved.

"Hey Scorpius. I'm getting robes, and Lily needs a new dress so we're stepping down the street to find her something hot to wear. Hugo decided to accompany us."

"Er... right." Scorpius nodded, looking uncomfortable as Evangeline came back out carrying a bunch of fabric.

"Oh, Master Malfoy, so good to see you deary!" She walked around the counter. "Sorry, but you'll have to wait, Master Scamander's been here for a while."

"Not at all a problem, Miss." He smiled and bowed slightly. Evangeline beamed at him, ushering Lysander over to the stool where he stood as still as a statue as she fixed up robes for him.

Hugo glared at Goyle and Parkinson, while Albus just stood and stared, his face expressionless. Scorpius looked between Abigail and Lily, and decided against saying anything to either of them. Meanwhile, Evangeline was chattering away at Lysander and anyone else who was listening.

"I am so glad that you've got such a sense with clothing, deary, because I don't think that I could have ever come up with some of the stuff that you draw up. Do you ever think about designing? I'd like to keep you for myself but Madame Malkins' probably pays better and I - "

She stopped mid sentence. A cold mist was floating under the front door of the shop, and in the distance the faint sound of voices shouting started to reach them. Everyone moved toward the front counter, even Lysander, still in his half-formed dress robe. The mist continued to float in under the door, and after a few second the room became unspeakably cold. Evangeline stepped forward toward the door, as if to open it.

It slammed open, knocking her backwards. There in the doorway stood three cloaked creatures. Scorpius instinctively stepped forward, flinging his left arm out and holding Lily behind him as he brandished his wand in front of him like a sword. The creatures stepped forward and the sound of screaming filled the room.

Lily felt him begin to shake, and as the Dementors advanced she looked at the shaking form of the boy who was doubled over in front of her screaming bloody murder, and in that moment, Lily knew that she would never want anyone else in her life.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

The silver burst forth from her wand, galloping toward the three Dementors. It stopped just short of them, rearing up onto its back legs and kicking out with its front hooves. The Dementors retreated, and Scorpius had time to see a unicorn turn back and look at him before he fainted.


	12. Otherwise Unharmed

When Malfoy came to, a silver stag was standing in the middle of the room.

_"Don't move. We're on our way."_

It vanished, leaving the room oddly dark, just as ones eyes have to adjust when one walks from a very bright room into an average one. He sat up, holding his head. He felt a light hand touch his shoulder.

"Stay. Dad's coming. I think he's bringing chocolate."

Scorpius nodded, resting his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands as he sat cross-legged on the floor.

Everyone else stood in a half circle around him, looking at him, at the floor, at each other, or at the spot where the stag stood just moments ago. The sound of shouts grew louder, and as it did, the voices began to grow familiar. Harry and Ron appeared in the doorway, dashing into the room. Ron ran to Hugo while Harry picked up Evangeline, who was rather dizzy but otherwise unharmed, remarkable considering the fragile nature one's body takes on when one reaches her age.

Ron started pulling chocolate frogs out of his robes and handing them around.

"All right, have a frog, is everyone okay? Here you go, chocolate helps..." When he got to the boy sitting in the middle of the circle, he looked down and sneered, his expression matching his son's.

"What's the matter Malfoy, your friends turn on you?"

Goyle and Parkinson, who had taken to hiding behind the counter, looked over at Malfoy and shook their heads, but their fear of Ron and Harry kept them standing there.

"So what did you do, conjure some Dementors to take out my kids? A little revenge for your dad? I'm sure he'll be so proud of - "

"Ronald!" Harry had taken one look at the boy sitting on the ground, his face wet, his back to everyone but Harry, and he had felt a sort of empathy that Ron would not understand.

"He didn't summon the God damned Dementors, Ron. He can't. They came here on their own and they attacked him just like everyone else. Leave him alone."

Ron look slightly embarrassed, shrugging. He walked back over to where Evangeline was still looking around dazedly, offering her a chocolate frog as Harry stepped over to Malfoy, who was wiping his face before he took Harry's outstretched hand and stood up. Harry leaned into him and mumbled something to him.

"It's okay. They did the same thing to me. I'm sure you know how to get a hold of me if you want to talk about it."

Scorpius' nod was imperceptible.

Harry looked over to where Lily was standing, her hand over her mouth. He looked between the look in her eyes and her hand over her mouth and the Malfoy boy still shaking, barely standing, and he knew.

* * *

Harry, Ginny, Albus, Lily, Ron, Hermione, and Hugo were sitting at a table at the three broomsticks having butterbeers. Lysander had opted to escort Abigail back to Hogwarts. Ginny had sent a Patronus to Kingsley Shacklebolt and Minerva McGonagall regarding the issue and Madame Rosmerta had prepared the fireplace to receive them both. Between the three children most of what had happened was explained, and re-explained once McGonagall and Shacklebolt showed up.

"What I would like to know," McGonagall was saying, "Is how the Dementors got here. I was sure that they were banished from the Wizarding public."

"Right," Hermione said hotly, "Let's just let the defenseless Muggles deal with Dementors because we're too lazy to deal with them ourselves, even though we're the ones with the capabilities - "

"Now is not the time, Mrs. Weasley," Shacklebolt cut her off. "We need to figure out what kind of security measures we need to keep the student safe. At present, I do not believe that we need to keep the students confined to the school grounds, but all the same I think that you should have teachers keep Patronuses on patrol. We need... _insiders_... here to cast Patronuses. We can count on the goat and the terrier, correct?"

Harry nodded. "That should be enough."

"Dad?" Albus finally asked, concerned. "Is this a part of the... you know, the _thing_?"

Harry looked at his son.

"I honestly don't know."

Albus nodded, gulping.

"Well this'll be interesting," Hugo said comically. Everyone laughed quietly.

"I will inform Rosmerta and all important people of the new procedures," Shacklebolt said, standing up.

"We'll be going back to school," Lily added. "Mom, Dad, you need to get home and figure out what's going on."

* * *

At lunch the next day, Lily got a letter from Professor Longbottom requesting she see him in his office that afternoon. She obliged, and walking in, he smiled and motioned to the chair across his desk. She sat down nervously, fidgeting.

"You're not in trouble," he said, smiling.

"You would think, that with my father being who he is, I would be accustomed to speaking to professors with such frequency." Neville laughed.

"Well, about that. I'm sure that by now you've heard of the Order of the Phoenix?"

"Only that about forty people can fit into my family's house." They smiled.

"Well between Shacklebolt and your parents and Minerva and I, we think it's best that we all keep an eye on things between the Order and the Army."

"So the Order knows?"

"Yes, and if need be - though things have drastically changed since Umbridge's days - I will be the professor sponsoring the club."

"I've heard of her. Mum says she looked like a toad."

"Something like that."

"But I don't think we'll need a sponsor, will we?"

"Not at present," Neville explained, "But with whatever is coming on the way, we all think that it's best that the Order knows precisely what the Army knows and is willing to send in some Aurors for supplementary lessons. Not just for the Army, of course, but obviously you would get some extra practice at your meetings than regular students."

"You know, I think that it would work." Lily was nodding. "Dad could come and teach some lessons on dueling, technical stuff, you know, and then do some stuff with defensive spells, and then during D.A. meetings we can cover the more advanced hexes and stuff."

"I think that would be a good idea."

"Professor Longbottom? What exactly do we know about this war?"

He sighed deeply, shaking his head.

"Not much. The only reason we know it's coming this way is because of Charlie Weasley. In all honesty, though, Harry suspects that it might be a front. He thinks that he was always the target, and that the war in the East was made as a distraction to pacify us into thinking we were safe. We know that whomever is coming is powerful, we know that they are dark, and we know that we need to prepare for war without alarming the entire country into a hysterical panic."

"Right."

"So what we need to do is train people in the art of combat, and defense, without - "

" - without them knowing what it is they might be preparing for."

"Basically," Neville said. "So we need the Order to know what the D.A. is doing, what you're learning."

"Right. We'll have to keep you updated then."

"That would be best. But... do be careful. Your father would kill me if you guys hurt each other on my watch." Lily smiled.

"I don't think that will happen, but we'll be extra careful."

They spoke for a few more minutes on the details of keeping the Order and the D.A. synchronized before Lily took her leave, contemplating everything on her way back to the Griffindor common room.


	13. A Few Attempts At Charming

The morning of October thirty first was cold and misty, and a light fog covered the grounds. When Lily woke up, she stayed in bed with the covers wrapper around her for quite some time, simply laying where she was and staring at the ceiling. She closed her eyes when someone else would get up. One by one they did, and they all dressed and left the room until Lily was alone.

The light that filtered in through the windows faded from a monotonous gray to a bright blue to a misted yellow, and when the light turned white she got up. McGonagall, in a spot of selfish indulgence disguised as a rare moment of mercy for her students, had canceled all classes for the day.

Lily dressed and went down to the common room, sitting on one of the giant chairs placed there. Her mind felt cluttered, jammed full of emotions and thoughts, more words and sentence fragments than anything. The world seemed to twirl around her and she couldn't make sense of any of it. She sat in the chair and stared at the wall for an hour before she finally decided what to do. Standing up, she flattened out her hair and marched out the door of the Griffindor common room.

* * *

"Come in, child."

Though she had not yet knocked upon the door, Lily entered.

The room was vast and green, covered in magical grass and plants and filled with trees to emulate his natural habitat. It had been bewitched so that the ceiling, visible from the clearing in the center of the room, reflected the stars in the sky. It changed per Firenze's request so that he could show his students constellations in places far away, or show them the stars over their sky in the middle of the day. Always, it was dark in the room.

When Lily stepped in, Firenze moved toward the center. His white tail brushed the floor as he walked, and his eyes, a piercing blue, could be seen by Lily even in the darkness of the room. He stood in the center of the clearing as she approached him.

"You seek guidance."

"Er..." Lily stared, suddenly quite unaware of what had possessed her to come to this particular being and rather embarrassed at having chosen to do so. "Yes, I suppose I am."

"Humans cannot see the stars."

"But... yes we can. They're in the sky."

"Humans cannot see the stars."

Lily sighed. Her father had warned her that centaurs held Man in disdain, that they had considered Wizard's ability to perform divination inferior. However, he had also told her about Firenze' sympathy with man, and how he had taken a liking to those who had _tried_ to understand, though he still found it inevitable that they would not.

"I'm not here to see the stars. I don't even know why I'm here."

"You seek guidance."

"Yes, I suppose, but..." He looked at her as her sentence trailed off.

"Your father was a great Wizard, Lily Potter." Lily glanced at him.

"Was?"

"Long has it been since the war of Man. But it returns."

"This is _not_ what I sought guidance for."

"But they are all connected. In the second war, the white-haired ones were the enemy, servants of the Dark Lord. What you fear now is that the one whom holds your affection is also a servant of the Dark Lord."

There was a moment of silence before she spoke, and when she did her voice was barely above a whisper, full of rage.

"Scorpius is _not_ evil."

Firenze smiled.

"Nor is he a servant of any Dark Lord, _professor_, so I don't know what you're getting at with this, because the Dark Lord was vanquished by my father anyway so - "

"Precisely," he stated, nodding. "Humans cannot see the stars, but they can see each other. And you, my dear, you_ see_ this boy."_  
_

"Right," Lily said, running her fingers through her hair. "Well, that was pointless, this is pointless, me being here is... Thank you for the, er, guidance, but I'd best be off now." Lily turned to leave, but on her way out she heard him speak.

"Mars will be visible tonight."

* * *

Deciding against telling anyone about her council with Firenze, Lily attended breakfast and spent a few hours in the library before returning to her dormitory, where Abigail had assembled the rest of the fifth-year girls. Together they spent what seemed like ages to Lily on fixing up her hair and makeup. After a few attempts at charming her hair into submission and failing, they opted for manual styling, and Lily screamed like a banshee until a sixth year girl ran up from the common room when Abigail tried to convince Lily that she could charm her makeup on.

It took the better part of two hours, but eventually Lily's hair and makeup were done, and the girls in her room left her to get dressed. She spent a moment in front of the mirror examining herself. Her hair was braided back into an elaborate design and curled, the ends hanging loosely down her back. Her makeup had been simple being that it was not often used at Hogwarts, but it was just enough to bring out the green in her eyes, framed by long black lashes.

The dress she had picked out from Hogsmeade was floor length and strapless, made of green velvet. The trim was made of a delicate silver lace that shimmered in the light. She twirled once to see the effect. Satisfied, she pulled a small silver purse out of the trunk at the foot of her bed, stuffing in her wand and essential toiletries, before walking down into the common room where the girls were waiting. They squealed and giggled, fussing over her dress as she blushed. Abigail then walked up to her.

"I got something for you."

"What?" Abigail presented Lily with a small box.

"I got something for you." Lily tentatively opened the box, which contained a pair of silver gemstone earrings. The peridot matched her eyes and her dress. She smiled.

"Oh, Abby..."

"I found them in this little gift shop and they matched your necklace so I - "

Lily shrieked, throwing herself into Abigail and hugging her tightly.

"You're the best."

"All right, get going," she urged. "You don't want to be late."

"Right. How do I look?"

"Lovely."

* * *

The potions class was still in the dungeons, as was Professor Slughorn's office, and so it was there that all Slug Club events took place. Lily walked down to the dungeon, running into no one.

"Halloween Feast," she muttered to herself as she walked up to the door of the room where the party was to be held. "Everyone's in the Great Hall..."

"Do you always talk to yourself when you think you're alone, Potter?" Lily spun around, fining herself face to face with Scorpius.

He was in a black shirt with a green vest and silver tie. He had opted for simple black velvet dress robes, and his hair was in its usual ponytail, but there was something about the way he carried himself that radiated elegance. It was something that Lily assumed he had inherited from the Malfoy side of his family.

"Hi, Scorpius."

He looked her up and whistled.

"Like the dress, Lily." She blushed as he stepped forward.

"Well, this is it."

"Yeah. If we do this..."

"Are you getting cold feet?" Scorpius asked.

"No, I just..."

"It was you who complained that I was too ashamed of you to out us."

"I know, Scorpius - "

"I was never ashamed of you," he said quietly. "Never of you. I was proud of you. I was ashamed of myself, of my family. I didn't think that I deserved you."

Lily shook her head.

"We've been over this. Our lives will _not_ be defined by our family's names." Scorpius nodded before offering her his arm.

"Shall we, my dear?" She smiled, taking it.

"But of course."

They both took a deep breath before walking into the dungeon.


End file.
